I heard Carson screaming through the gag just before I felt the kick into my ribs and I released any air that was in my lungs. I curled into a ball protecting my lungs and bowing my back to make it stronger. His feet never giving me a moment break all the while screaming obscenities at me. Finally he tired out enough to where I could catch a breath and this was very familiar only this time I was weak with blood loss.
“Alright bitch let’s finish what I started.” I saw the glint of the knife and knew this was going to hurt. I rolled over and attempted to crawl away, or find the gun, something that would even the playing field.
I wasn’t having much luck, my vision was dark and I wasn’t feeling right. I barely heard Carson’s screams through the pounding in my ear…it was fading out.
I cried out when Marcus grabbed my hair and pulled back, making my head bend painfully backwards. “Bitch. I am going to kill you slowly…but first – yes…maybe you should watch your lover die.” He threw my head and my nose bounced off the floor causing white flashes to go off behind my eyes.
“Tell me does she whimper when you fuck her? She was never one for loud noises she’s so stoic and reserved.” I knew Carson couldn’t speak, but I had a feeling I knew what he would say if he could. “She’s called the Ice Bitch at work; the entire company knows that nickname. It’s because she’s so frigid you know. I didn’t believe it, but the first time I slipped my dick into her pussy she did nothing but lay there.” He was vulgar and trying to goad Carson into something or maybe it was meant for me.
I was too weak to care what he said.
Carson’s face was abruptly in front of me his eyes boring into mine. I noticed that one of his eyes had a cut above it – Marcus’ work no doubt.
He also looked angry, very angry. His eyes were sharp and focused. His hands, which Marcus so stupidly tied in front, touched mine and I cried out from the pressure of his hands.
But the message was received.
Carson’s face was gone and Marcus’ voice was filled with so much hate. “You must really love this one, too bad you don’t get to keep him.” And his foot connected again with my ribs, and this time I was so sure I heard a crack and I became violently ill.
I was still in fetal position when I came back to myself. “Marcus, just let him go. You have me, and I’m not much of a challenge at his point.” My eyes found Carson’s and his eyes were wide and scared I nodded slightly when his hands went to his mouth to pull off the tape. “Marcus, this is between you and me.”
“Aw, my sweet Harley, you are right, it is between you and me…but this is something you love, just like that damn dog.” The tears instantly flooded my eyes.
I swallowed and rolled to my back and focused on Marcus’ eyes, he looked at me and gave me a smile, and I gave him a bullet in the t-zone.
My left hand dropped to the side of my body. I heard the tape ripe off skin with an accompanied curse. Carson was in my line of sight then I heard the door bust open.
Kyle was screaming.
I was cold.
Bryant looked pissed.
My father was screaming.
Then nothing.
Chapter eight:
“I think she’s coming around.”
“I’m telling you she’s not going to be happy you two are here. She can be nasty when she’s hurt.”
“And how many times has she been hurt?”
“This is the worst.” I finally put names to voices, Carson and Bryant. Shit.
The pain hit me and I screamed.
Hands touched me and then a cooling sensation hit my wrist and the pain subsided and I fell back under.
Chapter nine:
This time I awoke with the pain but was able to bite through it and opened my eyes. Fuck it was bright. The shades were closed suddenly, so I guess I said something.
I looked to the window and there stood Bryant. “Bryant.” I croaked then I broke down and cried. He came to me and sat very gingerly on the bed holding me until I ran out of tears.
“Shh Harley, it’s alright.” I felt his fingers through my hair. “You did good girl. I’m so proud of you.”
“Did he stay down this time?” My voice was a weak at best, I licked my lips with absolutely no moisture. “Water” A straw touched my lips and I sucked down cool water, and then puked it all back up. Blessedly Bryant had a trash can next to the bed already. “Oh, that hurts like hell.”
“Of course the fucker broke one rib and bruised three others.”
“Give me the full write up.”
“Black eyes, broken nose, one cracked rib, three bruised, bruised femur and a gun shot in the right arm - no bone damage to that arm.”
“Is that all? I’ll be out of here by the end of the weekend.”
“Sis, today’s Thursday…”
“IT’S WHAT!” I wrapped my good arm around my ribs.
“Don’t get angry…it’s not going to help you heal.”
“Shut up and take me home.”
“I can’t…” he frowned at me.
“Bryant I can’t be in here anymore.”
“You didn’t even know you were here.” I pouted at him. “I’ll talk to the doctor and see what he says.” I pouted again. “Ok twenty-four hours, but you have to deal with your guards.”
“I have guards?”
“They haven’t left your side in four days.”
I cried again, remembering Carson’s face and Kyle. “Kyle?”
“Apparently understood the message you gave him and called us. We got there as soon as we could.” The phone had simply said. NO COPS! CALL #2
“Are they angry at me?”
“Angry at you…no, no one could be angry at you baby sis, happy that you’re alive, ecstatic; happy that you’re in this situation…not in the least.” I turned my face away from him. “Harry, I know how you feel about allowing people getting close to you.”
“Bryant you weren’t there in that room as Marcus held that gun to his head. If it wasn’t for Carson I wouldn’t be here now. He somehow palmed the pistol and gave it to me.”
“Yeah he gave a report to father.” I cringed at that conversation. “He also said you kept your cool the entire time.”
“Of course, I’m just that good.” He smiled at me.
“They should be back soon, they went for coffee, they have been living off coffee and hospital food for four days.” The thought of food set my stomach to rumbling. Brant laughed. “You’ll be fine little sis.” I went to raise my hand and cried out. “Yeah you’re going to be a bit sore on that arm, they say for six weeks. They also say it’ll be a few months before your ribs are back to normal.”
“Unacceptable.” We smiled at each other.
“Harley?” We both looked to the door where Carson and Kyle stood.
“You two look like shit.” I croaked out.
“Ah, but better than you.” Carson said as he smiled, though sadly.
“You’re just jealous.” I gave a tired smile at Carson; at least he still had his banter in tacked.
“Hey kitten.” Kyle stepped around Carson and came to the bed.
“Harry I’m going to go get a bite and call father he wanted to know when you woke up.” He looked at Kyle and Carson then back to me and sent me a sad smile. He knew what I was going to do and he knew it was going to hurt me.
He pulled the curtain and shut the door. The silence in the room was thick and Carson was the first to break it. “Harley, how are you really?”
“I hurt and I’ve recently discovered I’m hungry.”
“We’ve been so worried about you. The damn doctors wouldn’t tell us shit.” Kyle was pissed and I used that to make the first cut.
“Because you’re not next of kin.” I turned away from them and looked out the window…tears threatening to overrun. “Perhaps you should go.”
“Harley!” they both shouted.
I used that anger to strike the second cut. “Look the weekend was beyond lovely, but you don’t honestly
believe anything could come from it – an actor in hiding, a famous recluse author and a lady killer.” I was too weak to keep the tears out of my voice. “Look I’m sure the media is having a field day, and I am not one for popularity. So it may be for the best.”
Kyle walked into my line of sight and I looked into his deep green eyes the pain showing in his eyes and the tears flowing from mine. “Kitten...” I closed my eyes and I heard him stand and walk away. “Come my friend, we should get home.”
“No, I want her-” I felt his hands on my shoulder “I want you to look at me and tell to go. Harley, look at me!” I turned my head and thru tear blurred eyes he still looked so damn comfortable
“I-I don’t want you here.” I rushed through the statement but the pain in my chest was something that would not be rushed. I loved them both, but I wouldn’t put them through this sort of thing ever again.
Carson’s eye searched mine the pain too strong to keep it out of my eyes and I knew it. His own eyes were also filled with hurt, pain, even anger. He stared into my eyes, his eyes shifting from one eye to the other. Finally he closed his eyes and I felt alone.
I shivered as I watched them walk out of the hospital room and out of my life. I rolled to my left, away from the door, putting me in the open, not caring if I died today. I welcomed it.
I heard the door open and felt my brother’s hand at my back then felt him curl up behind me and carefully put his arm over me and slid his other hand under my neck and pulled me in with his love.
He hadn’t done this for ten years.
Not since the last time they were removed from my life.
He held me once more as I cried.
###
Thank you for taking the time to read Harley’s Choice. I hope you enjoy it, please leave a review at your favorite retailer.
Thanks!
Shaelin
Psst…there is a second book of Harley’s in the work
About the author…
Shaelin Ferra (oh! that’s me!) lives in the woods with her husband (Hubby) and three wonderful children (spawns of Satan (Baby Girl, Lil Man, and Bubby) that have sprung from my loins (lord what was I thinking?)). She smiles and laughs daily (because, hey, life’s too short to be taken seriously). She writes for pleasure and gets pleasure from writing (what! What the hell! Nope! I write so the voices in my head will let me sleep! (Sheesh, what’s this person thinking?))
…And now for a style change…
Wonderland: Alice’s Fall – is a fantasy style of book also by Shaelin Ferra that will be out soon, (that is if the spawns of Satan remain still long enough):
Alice and her twin sister Marcy couldn’t have been more alike or different. One major difference separates her and Marcy; Marcy has always been an impulsive, fly by the seat of her pants kind of girl; while Alice on the other hand was patient, always caring for others before herself. Life hasn’t been easy for them, but they’ve made it work along with their two older brothers Matt and Tad.
All was going well until the night Alice gets the call ‘Marcy’s gone missing.’ Alice dropped everything to come home to look for her and to pick up the life Marcy dropped. For two years Alice stayed home waiting, looking for signs of her sister.
None came.
Until two days after their twenty-third birthday, when Alice received an invitation to the hottest new club in town Wonderland.
But all is exactly as it should be in Wonderland – that is to say, all is not as it should be…
With the Hatter, seducing her body, Cheshire and his enigmatic smile and Caterpillar trying to seduce her mind, will she make it out with her sanity intact?
Does she want to make it out at all?
Prologue:
My name is Alice, Alice Josephine Cooper, and all my friends and family think I’m dead – as proven by the tombstone I’m now standing over. I thought to cry, to mourn my own passing but truly I was not sad; not that I didn’t miss my family, well some of them anyways – my brother’s Matt and Tad, missed them entirely.
I looked up into the darkening sky and closed my eyes and asked the stars for the strength keep going forward.
I suppose I should explain how it was I ended up standing over my own grave.
I shall start at the beginning:
As a child I was much like other children, I was active, took dancing, actually excelled in dancing, I was under ten ballroom silver winner. I loved dancing and took all kinds jazz, modern, tap, ballet and of course ballroom.
My sister Marcy and I are twins, identical-ish fraternal, but we couldn’t be more different. We were close though, so there is that.
My parents are wonderful parents – or at least they would have been had they made it home from the “second honeymoon” in Bora Bora.
Now the reason there are little bunny rabbit ears around “second honeymoon” was because I have since found out that they are both alive and living comfortably in a country that does not extradite to the US. We had found out about their crimes just after we got news of their “death”.
One day everything was fine with mom and dad heading home, then the next they had gone down in a plane crash into the deep Pacific with no bodies recovered, then all of a sudden they were wanted criminals, apparently my parents were wanted hit men/hit people – still unsure of the proper term for them. But that’s neither here nor there at the moment.
At least they had waited until Matt was twenty four and had a stable job, but Tad was nineteen and Marcy and I were just fifteen; the next three years were hard on us all. So with our parents gone, our brothers raising two very active teenage girls through the rest of high school Matt took control of the home, he basically became our father and Tad, though he tried very hard, had a hard time of the new responsibilities, and it wasn’t for about two that he was finally able to get control of himself and help the rest of us, but I never hated him for it. Marcy and I started working at sixteen to help with things.
Our senior year Marcy and I received full scholarships to the state college. I went because Matt said that it would be a good thing for me to do, to extend my education to become something I wanted to be. I really wanted to be a fashion designer. I had started sewing at eight when my mom fumbled through teaching me. Sewing was always fun, to have the freedom to make what I wanted or make a change to something I already had or was handed down to me – I was upcycling before it became a fad.
Marcy on the other hand had turned hers down, saying that working at the firm she was working at was enough for her and that “one of us had to make sure the boys didn’t get sucked under trash.” I honestly thought it was because she had no idea what she wanted to do.
For the first year I thought she was angry at me for quitting work and going to college but when I came home for summer break the following year she was so happy for me. We stayed up for hours telling each other stories of our lives away from each other.
At the end of summer break as we cried our goodbyes, we made promises to visit each other and so went the following couple of years. She would come visit me or I would go home to see everyone but we never went more than two months without seeing each other, we simply couldn’t be away from each other any more than that without the urge to see each other became too strong and we couldn’t focus on anything but talking to each other.
We would talk on the phone but as it is with twins we needed physical contact with each other.
Halfway through the spring semester of my junior year, just after we turned twenty-one I got a call that changed my whole life.
Matt called and said that Marcy was missing.
I left school that night after pulling out of all my classes and headed home…
And this is where the story really gets strange.
1:
For almost two years I have been home looking for or awaiting word of Marcy. I was the assistant librarian at the public library for going on a year now.
Two days ago I celebrated our twenty-third birthday alone. I
didn’t even bother to go out, even though my friends begged me to go out and celebrate, but it was a sad time for me and I just begged off.
Matt and Tad were both home with me, celebrating in an alright tone. We had cake and few beers but then the rest of my night was spent outside staring into the starry night praying for a word from her.
It did not come.
As I sat behind my desk at work and watched the clock creep closer to the nine o’clock hour, I wondered what was left for dinner for me. Tad, after his two years of rebellious behavior went to culinary school and was now a head chef at a very prestigious restaurant at the heart of down town.
Matt who was a fireman now, took us there once to experience the place and the class, but we haven’t been back – it was really expensive.
Now Tad just makes frozen meals from scratch to eat when we wanted.
It was nice really, the three of us, though hardly ever home at the same time, have made our chaotic house a home once again. With Tad cooking, Matt does repairs and handyman skills and I, somehow was thrown into the role of house keeper. It wasn’t too bad really, they don’t make much of a mess, and the ones they do make are usually kept to their rooms.
The clock read eight-twenty, it was dark out as fall nights come around seven now, so when the tall, well-dressed man walked in I was surprised. “Hi welcome to the Library. Is there something I can help you find?”
“No, thank you. I think I know where it is.” His voice was low and sounded almost condescending, but it was nice nonetheless. He walked straight passed me, blessing me with a musky fragrance that was part woody and part spicy, but all male. I took a deep breath after he was out of sight to try to catch another hint of his cologne.
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